Charlie Hales leans on big donors, and a Portland developer plays two sides.

Political candidates like to say every vote counts. When
it comes to campaign contributions, some people clearly have a louder
voice than others.

Last week, WW gave you an analysis of special-interest groups’ funding of the leading mayoral candidates’ campaigns.

But
we noticed something else in the numbers: In a race that’s crossed the
million-dollar line, about a quarter of the cash raised—$286,608—comes
from people or companies giving $10,000 or more.

Former City
Commissioner Charlie Hales is relying more on big donors than are
businesswoman Eileen Brady and state Rep. Jefferson Smith—44 percent of
Hales’ cash comes from people giving north of 10 grand.

And one prominent Portland developer is hedging its bets, giving big donations to more than one candidate.

Eileen Brady

$35,508: The Catherine H. Rohter Living Trust, the estate of the mother of Brady’s husband, Brian Rohter.

$25,000:David
Nierenberg, owner of a Camas, Wash.-based investment group. (The Hales
campaign says Nierenberg is a friend from Hales and his wife’s book
club.) Stacy and Witbeck Inc., a streetcar-development company.

$20,000: James Kelly, founder and CEO of Rejuvenation.

$10,100: Candace Young, a Vancouver, Wash., psychologist. (Also a book club friend, the campaign says.)